In-line sub-surface seeding, fertilizing and watering system

ABSTRACT

An in-line sub-surface seeding, fertilizing and watering system includes a blade ( 10 ) mountable into a header member ( 112 ) of a parallelogram linkage ( 110 ). A pair of parallel rigid drag arms ( 116, 118 ) extend between the header member ( 112 ) and a hanger member ( 114 ) and are pinned at their respective ends so that rotation of the header member relative to the hanger member on the parallel arms maintains a general horizontal orientation of the header member thereby supporting the blade ( 10 ) downwardly in a constant orientation. The hanger member is mountable to a supporting frame ( 182 ). A selective actuator such as a hydraulic actuator ( 138 ) or selectively controllable spring assembly ( 147 ) allows selective control of a downward force urging the blade into the soil. Where the selective actuator is a hydraulic actuator ( 138 ) mounted between the hanger member ( 114 ) or frame and the parallel arms ( 116, 118 ) or header member ( 112 ), the actuating linkage may be selectively elevated so as to remove the blade ( 10 ) from the soil.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patentapplication No. 60/132,734 filed May 6, 1999 entitled In-LineSub-Surface Seeding, Fertilizing and Watering System.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of no-tillage opening blades whichmay be partially submerged into earth, for example in a farmers field,so as to pass the blade at a submerged depth for delivery of seeds,fertilizer or water into the earth, and to the mechanical system foractuating same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to blade delivery systems which have replacedtillage plows and the like. It is known that the use of plows or otherdevices having for example tillage discs for tilling the earth orotherwise opening and turning a furrow through the ground suffer fromthe disadvantage that the moisture in the soil is unnecessarily exposedto evaporation. In the past it was necessary to open the earth so thatthe ground beneath the surface could be seeded, fertilized and watered.Whether this was accomplished by machinery or done manually, prior artmachines or manual systems also suffered from the disadvantage thatfertilizer was typically delivered into close proximity to the seedsbeing sown occasionally resulting in the seeds becoming chemicallyburnt.

Thus there exists a need for, and it is an object of the presentinvention to provide, a blade and actuating system wherein the blade maybe partially submerged into earth and translated therethrough, where theblade disturbs the earth minimally and without tillage and is adapted todeliver one or all of seeds, fertilizer or water from the blade inadvantageous spaced apart relation as hereinafter described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The sub-surface seeding fertilizing and watering system of the presentinvention includes a mechanical actuating linkage for actuating anopening blade. The blade has first and second sides extending between aleading edge and an aft edge. The first and second sides areadvantageously generally symmetrical to each other on either side of afirst plane, where the first plane generally bisects the opening blade,and the leading edge and the aft edge lie generally in the first plane.

The opening blade has an upper surface and a lower surface extendingbetween upper and lower edges respectively of the first and second sidesof the blade. First and second wings are mounted to the first and secondsides respectively in generally oppositely disposed relation so as to becantilevered outwardly therefrom. The first and second wings extendbetween first and second forward wing edges and first and secondaft-opening wing apertures in the first and second wings respectively.The first and second wings are mounted to the first and second sides at,respectively, first and second distances from the lower surface measuredgenerally parallel to the first plane.

The opening blade has therethrough, and generally lying in the firstplane, first and second conduits, extending from, and cooperating with,at uppermost ends thereof, first and second infeed ports in the uppersurface. The first and second conduits cooperate with, at lowermost endsthereof, first and second wing ducts extending aft through the first andsecond wings respectively between the lowermost ends of the first andsecond conduits and the first and second aft opening wing apertures. Thefirst and second conduits and the corresponding first and second wingducts are thereby in material flow communication between the first andsecond infeed ports and the corresponding first and second aft openingwing apertures for seed, fertilizer or fluid flow, as fed from amaterial feeder, therethrough during the forward translation of theblade.

The opening blade is mountable to the material feeder so as to begenerally vertically disposed, when mounted thereon for partialsubmerging into soil to a first submerged depth advancing the leadingedge through the soil. The first and second distances are less than thefirst submerged depth so that the first and second wings are submergedin the soil during the forward translation of the blade.

In one preferred embodiment, the opening blade further includes a thirdconduit extending in material flow communication between a third infeedport in the upper surface and an aft opening blade aperture in arearward position on the opening blade in proximity to the aft edge forseed, fertilizer or fluid flow therethrough, as fed from the materialfeeder. Advantageously the aft-opening blade aperture is centrallydisposed relative to the first plane so as to lie generallysymmetrically across the first plane, and may be positioned so that theaperture intersects the lower surface of the blade. Thus the aft-openingblade aperture is formed at the intersection of the lower surface andthe aft edge of the blade. The aft-opening blade aperture may lie in asecond plane at generally 30° inclined relative to a third planegenerally containing the lower surface of the blade, wherein the thirdplane is generally orthogonal to the first plane.

Advantageously, the first, second and third conduits are generallyparallel and raked aft of their corresponding first, second and thirdinfeed ports. The first, second and third conduits may be raked aft atan angle of approximately 55° relative to a fourth plane generallycontaining the upper surface of the blade if the upper surface is aplanar generally horizontal surface, although this is not necessarilyso.

In one embodiment, but not so as to be limiting, at least the first andsecond conduits are formed by mating of corresponding opposed facingchannels in oppositely mounted side panels, oppositely mounted in, ormountable into, first and second sides of the blade.

In a further aspect of the design, the third conduit is generallyparallel and adjacent the aft edge and the leading edge is concavelycurved and forms a pointed toe at the intersection of the leading edgeand the lower surface of the blade. Advantageously, the pointed toe maybe made of hardened material relative to the hardness of materialforming the balance of the opening blade.

In a further aspect, the opening blade may be defined as having alongitudinal length dimension and a height dimension, where thelongitudinal length dimension is perpendicular to the height dimensionand both dimensions lie in the first plane. Further, the opening bladehas a lateral width dimension perpendicular to the first plane.

The longitudinal length dimension extends between the leading and aftedges of the blade, the height dimension extends between the upper andlower surfaces of the blade, and the lateral width dimension extendsbetween the first and second sides of the blade. In the present design,the length dimension is much, that is, significantly greater than thewidth dimension, as described hereinafter. The height dimension in oneembodiment is greater than the submerged depth so that the blade issupported above the soil and the blade thus partially submerged duringforward translation, although this is not intended to be limiting. Thatis, it is readily conceivable to mount the blade to a support thatitself becomes partially submerged in the soil.

Further advantageously, the first and second wings are wedge-shaped andthe forward wing edges are vertices of the wedge-shaped wings.

The sides of the blade may be thought of as having upper and lowerportions respectively above and below the wings. Thus, the first andsecond sides have upper portions generally located, respectively,between the first and second wings and the upper surface of the blade,and lower portions generally located between, respectively, the firstand second wings and the lower surface of the blade. The lower portionscollectively form a waisted shape so that a forward width dimension of aforward flared portion of the lower portion of the opening blade and anaft width dimension of an aft flared portion of the lower portion of theopening blade, the forward and aft width dimensions extending betweenthe lower portions of the first and second sides, are greater than anintermediate width dimension of a waisted portion longitudinallyextending contiguously between the forward and aft flared portions.

The first wing may be defined as being set back a first longitudinaldistance from the leading edge and the second wing as being set back asecond longitudinal distance from the leading edge. Thus, in one aspectof this design, the first longitudinal distance may be greater than thesecond longitudinal distance. Correspondingly, the first wing mounted tothe first side of the blade at a first longitudinal location generallycorresponding to the aft flared portion of the blade, and the secondwing may be mounted to the second side at a second longitudinal locationgenerally corresponding to the waisted portion of the blade.

In the wing design, an upper wing surface on the first and second wingsextends aft over the corresponding first and second aft-opening wingapertures on aft cantilevered upper wing members. The lower wing surfaceon the first and second wings may form a first wedge angle ofapproximately 5° with the upper wing surface. Further, laterallyouter-most wing surfaces extend between the upper and lower wingsurfaces. The laterally outer-most wing surfaces may advantageouslyintersect the corresponding first and second sides of the blade at theircorresponding first and second forward wing edges. Thus the laterallyouter-most wing surfaces may form a second wedge angle of approximately5° relative to the first and second sides of the blade respectively.Advantageously, the first and second wings may themselves also beinclined downwardly so that a pair of corresponding planes bisecting thewedge angle between the upper and lower wing surfaces on each of thefirst and second wings, where the pair of corresponding planes containthe corresponding forward wing edges, are inclined forwardly anddownwardly at approximately 5° relative to a generally horizontal planecontaining the lower surface, it being taken for the sake of thisdefined relationship that the lower surface is generally planar andhorizontal, although this is not intended to be limiting, and is notnecessarily so, notwithstanding that the preferred embodimenthereinafter described is illustrated as such.

The blade is mountable into a header member of a parallelogram linkage.A pair of parallel rigid drag arms extend between the header member anda hanger member and are pinned at their respective ends so that rotationof the header member relative to the hanger member on the parallel armsmaintains a general horizontal orientation of the header member therebysupporting the blade downwardly in a constant orientation. The hangermember is mountable to a supporting frame. Selective actuation meanssuch as a hydraulic actuator or selectively controllable spring assemblyallows selective control of a downward force urging the blade into thesoil. Where the selective actuation means is a hydraulic actuatormounted between the hanger member or frame and the parallel drag arms orheader member, the actuating linkage may be selectively elevated so asto remove the blade from the soil.

In a preferred embodiment, a swivel mounted coulter wheel is mounted toa forward end of the header member, ahead of the leading edge of theblade when the blade is mounted to an intermediate or rear end of theheader member. In a further alternative embodiment, a furrow closingarm, which may be a leaf spring arm, is mounted to a rear end of theheader member so as to trail rearwardly therefrom in line with a furrowcreated by the blade passing through the soil. The closing arm may beurged downwardly by a selectively adjustable downward biasing means suchas a pivotally mounted rocker arm pivotally mounted to a rear end of theheader member and selectively adjustable so as to be rotated downwardlyinto downward biasing engagement against the furrow closing arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is, in exploded perspective view, the inline, subsurface seeding,fertilizing and watering blade of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line 2—2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is, in left side elevation view, the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3a is, in left side elevation view, an alternative embodiment ofthe device of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is, in bottom perspective view, the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is, in rear elevation view, the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is the view of FIG. 5 as the blade is passed through soil.

FIG. 7 is the rear elevation view of FIG. 6 with the blade removed forclarity so as to illustrate an approximation of the soil mechanicsduring an initial seed placing and fertilizing phase.

FIG. 8 follows on as a time-elapsed view of the view of FIG. 7,illustrating the collapse of the soil and lateral translation of theseeds following the initial phase.

FIG. 9 is, in a generally side perspective view, the actuating linkageof the in-line sub-surface seeding, fertilizing and watering system ofthe present invention, with the actuating linkage in a lowered position.

FIG. 10 is, in a rear perspective view, the actuating linkage of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is, in a front perspective view, the actuating linkage of FIG.9.

FIG. 12 is the view of FIG. 9, with the actuating linkage elevated.

FIG. 13 is the linkage of FIG. 12 showing the coulter wheel and bladelowered into the soil.

FIG. 14 is an alternative embodiment of the actuating linkage of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As may be seen in FIG. 1, the no-tillage in-line sub-surface seeding,fertilizing and watering blade of the system of the present invention isdepicted as opening blade 10. Opening blade 10 has an upper, ported,mounting block 12 rigidly mounted atop a generally planar bladestructure 14. Blade structure 14 has a trunk 16 depending generallyvertically beneath the upper ported mounting base or block 12. Formed aspart of the lower end of trunk 16 is a foot structure generallyindicated by numeral 18.

As also seen in FIGS. 2-5, mounting block 12 and blade 14, includingtrunk 16 and foot 18, are elongate in a generally vertical first planeA. The first plane includes longitudinal axis A′. With the exception ofwings 20 and 22, as better described below, the outer surface of trunk16 smoothly merges into, so as to truncate in cross-section as, awaisted or foot-shaped lower surface 24. In one embodiment access panels26 and 28, which conformally mount onto the lateral side walls of trunk16, are symmetrically shaped relative to the plane of symmetry of trunk16. The plane of symmetry of trunk 16 coincides with the first plane.

Upper ported mounting block 12 has ports 30, 32 and 34 formed in itsupper surface. The ports extend downwardly through block 12 incooperative alignment with corresponding channels 36, 38 and 40extending downwardly in generally parallel spaced apart array throughtrunk 16. Channel 40 also extends downwardly through foot 18.

Channels 36 and 38 may, in one preferred embodiment not intended to belimiting, be formed by the alignment and snug adjacency of flanges 42and 44 on the inner sides of access panels 26 and 28 respectively whenthe access panels are mounted conformally in opposed relation, to thelateral sides of trunk 16 so as to cover cavity 46 in trunk 16. Accesspanel 26 may be mounted onto the port side of trunk 16 by means of tab48 slidably engaging corresponding slot 50, formed in the lower surfacedefining cavity 46, so as to protrude downwardly into foot 18. In asimilar fashion, tab 52 on access panel 28 also slidably engages slot 50when mounting access panel 28 onto the starboard side of trunk 16. Theupper ends of access panels 26 and 28 may be secured by releasablefasteners, for example a cooperating, flush-mounted nut and bolt pair(not shown) journalled through apertures 56.

With access panels 26 and 28 mounted onto trunk 16, so as tocooperatively align and abut flanges 42 and 44, thereby completingforming and separation of channels 36 and 38, channels 36 and 38 form apair of chutes in cooperative alignment between ports 30 and 32 inmounting block 12 and corresponding lower outlet ports 58 and 60. Loweroutlet ports 58 and 60 are directed laterally oppositely and open intothe respective interior ducts 62 and 64 formed within respective wings20 and 22. Interior ducts 62 and 64 open out into correspondingaft-facing apertures from under their respective wings 20 and 22 asbetter hereinafter described.

Toe 66, which may be of a different and hardened material relative tothe material forming mounting block 12, trunk 16 and foot 18, is rigidlymounted, by bolting or other means known in the art, to the forwardportion of foot 18 so as to form a forwardly extending point or snout68, forwardly facing in the direction of forward translation B when theblade is translated in use. Advantageously, mounting block 12, trunk 16and foot 18 may be made of austempered ductile iron (hereinafter ADI)and toe 66 may be made of a chrome alloy. Access panels 26 and 28 andwings 20 and 22 may also be made of ADI.

Channel 40 is formed within and alone the rear or aft edge of trunk 16and foot 18 so as to form a continuous generally linear conduit betweenport 34 and rear aperture 70. Advantageously, the rear-most end of footlower surface 24 is upturned for example as to provide aperture 70 withan opening generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of channel40. Further advantageously, channels 36, 38 and 40 are generallyparallel so as to be raked aft in a downward direction from ports 30, 32and 34.

Wings 20 and 22 are each shaped as truncated wedges or otherwise as whatmay be described as irregular pyramid shapes wherein the vertex of eachwedge or pyramid is aligned so as to be forward facing (in direction B)with the wedge diverging aft so as to form correspondingly shapedinterior ducts 62 and 64 opening aft through the base of the wedges. Inone preferred embodiment, the acute angles alpha (α)and beta (β), formedat the vertex of the wedges forming wings 20 and 22, are eachapproximately 5 degrees. In the preferred embodiment upper surfaces 20 aand 22 a, lateral surfaces 20 b and 22 b, and lower surfaces 20 c and 22c of wings 20 and 22 respectively are each generally planar. In oneembodiment such as seen in FIG. 3a, upper surfaces 20 a and 22 a areinclined forwardly further downwardly relative to the plane containingfoot lower surface 24, thus a plane II bisecting angle β would in thisembodiment advantageously form an angle of approximately 5° relative tothe plane F containing lower foot surface 24.

Upper surfaces 20 a and 22 a extend aft and are cantilevered outwardlyover the aft apertures of interior ducts 62 and 64. The aft apertures ofinterior ducts 62 and 64 are advantageously formed by reducing thelongitudinal length of lateral side walls 20 b and 22 b and raking therearmost edge of lower surfaces 20 c and 22 c so as to extend themcontiguously aft from the rear edge of lateral side walls 20 b and 22 brespectively to blend with foot 18.

In the preferred embodiment, foot 18 is curvaceously waisted along itslongitudinal length so as to form between curved side walls a forwardexpanded lateral dimension 72 smoothly tapering into a reduced lateraldimension 74 corresponding to the waisting and, progressing aft, agentle flaring to an aft expanded lateral dimension 76. In the preferredembodiment the waist of foot 18 approximately corresponds, in thelongitudinal direction of axis A′, to the position of the forward endsof wings 20 and 22.

In use, blade 16 is translated in direction B through soil 78. As seenin FIG. 6, blade 16 is driven forwardly and positioned as betterhereinafter described so as to maintain wings 20 and 22 submerged at ashallow depth below the surface of soil 78. Such motion opens the soilupwardly from point 68 on toe 66 upwardly along the leading edge of foot18 and blade 16 causing a small lifting and separating of soil 78 inopposite directions C. As blade 16 translates through the soil, materialfed into ports 30, 32 and 34 flows under the force of gravity throughrespective channels 36, 38 and 40. Material flowing through channel 40exits through aperture 70 at the lowermost position of the narrow furrow80 seen in FIG. 7 formed in soil 78 by the passing of blade 14therethrough. The passing of wings 20 and 22 through soil 78 formshelves 82 in the soil as the soil is displaced by the wings so as toform shoulders 84 approximated in the illustration of FIG. 7.

The forward movement in direction B of blade 14 through soil 78 drawsmaterial such as fertilizer 86 from aperture 70, and also draws materialsuch as seeds 88 from ducts 62 and 64 as the seeds are fed from channels36 and 38 through outlet ports 58 and 60 respectively.

It has been found that the passing of wings 20 and 22 and the passing offoot 18 in their form as described herein, causes a fluid-likecirculation in direction D of soil 78 aft of wings 20 and 22. It isunderstood that the view of FIG. 7 is an approximation of thecross-section through the soil immediately behind blade 14 as it istranslating through the soil. The soil, acting in a fluid manner,collapses so as to drop down shoulders 84 as the soil beneath shelves 82is circulated in counter-rotation in direction D. Applicant has foundthat this circulation transports seeds 88 laterally outwardly alongshelves 82 so as to facilitate advantageous lateral spacing apart ofseeds on either side of furrow 80 separated both laterally andvertically from fertilizer 86 so as to inhibit chemical burning of theseeds for example by reason of the spacial relationship approximated bythe illustration of FIG. 8.

It is understood that the order and type of materials introduced intoports 30, 32 and 34 may be changed as would be known to one skilled inthe art so as to introduce, for example, seeds through ports 30 and 32and water through port 34. A person skilled in the art would alsounderstand that ports 30, 32 and 34 would have to be attached byappropriate conduits to corresponding hoppers or reservoirs carried, forexample on a tractor (not shown).

In the preferred embodiment, although not intended to be limiting,certain planes assist in defining the relationship of the elements ofthe present invention relative to one another as described above andclaimed hereinbelow. Firstly, blade structure 14 is generally bisectedby a first plane A, referred to above as coinciding with the plane ofsymmetry of trunk 16, which contains both the axis A′ and thecross-sectional view reference line 2—2 seen in FIG. 1. Thecross-sectional view of FIG. 2 is a view through a cutaway along firstplane A. A second plane E is the plane containing the edges of aperture70 at the lowermost end of channel 40. A third plane F is the planecontaining foot lower surface 24. A fourth plane G is the planecontaining the upper surface of mounting block 12. Lastly, a wingbisecting plane H bisects wing 20 by bisecting angle beta. Acorresponding parallel wing bisecting plane bisects wing 22 by bisectingthe corresponding angle on wing 22.

As seen in FIGS. 9-13, blade 10 is mounted to an actuating linkage 10whereby the blade may be lowered into the soil 78 or elevated out ofcontact with soil 78.

Actuating linkage 110 is a parallelogram linkage for displacement indirection I of header box 112 relative to hanger brackets 114. Headerbox 112 is pivoted relative to hanger brackets 114 on pivotally mountedupper drag arm 116 and lower drag arms 118. Each opposite end of theupper and lower drag arms are pivotally mounted by means of pins, boltsor the like. Thus upper drag arm 116 is mounted at one end betweenopposite halves 114 a and 114 b of hanger brackets 114 by means of pin120. The opposite end of upper drag arm 116 is mounted between the uppercurved forks of header box 112 by means of pin 122.

Lower drag arms 118 include an opposed pair of parallel rigid arms 118 aand 118 b each pinned at the corresponding lower ends of hanger brackets114 by means of a pair of pins 124. As better seen in FIG. 11, arms 118a and 118 b of lower drag arm 118 are rigidly coupled to each other byback plate 126. The opposite end of lower drag arm 118 is pivotallymounted to header box 112 by means of bolts 128.

Scalloped coulter wheel 130 is rotatably mounted on mounting fork 132 bymeans of mounting plate 133. Depth wheel 134, mounted on one side ofcoulter wheel 130, controls the depth of the blade in soil 78.

Mounting fork 132 is free to swivel in direction J on shaft 136. Shaft136 is rotatably mounted in collar 138 on leading end 112 c of headerbox 112.

The parallelogram linkage of upper drag arm 116 and lower drag arms 118and header box 112 are actuated so as to rotate in direction I abouthanger brackets 114 by, in one embodiment, selective actuation ofhydraulic ram 138. Hydraulic ram 138 is fed by high pressure hydraulicline 140. The upper end of hydraulic ram 138 is rigidly mounted tohanger brackets 114. The lower end of hydraulic ram 138 is pivotallymounted to spacer block 142 by means of pinned coupling 144. Spacerblock 142 is rigidly mounted between lower drag arm members 118 a and118 b. Extension of hydraulic ram 138 causes rotation of the upper andlower drag arms downwardly about pins 120 and 124 on hanger brackets114. Retracting hydraulic ram 138 rotates the upper and lower drag armsupwardly. Thus with blade 10 mounted by means of mounting block 12 toheader box 112 between fork arms 112 a and 112 b by, for example, meansof bolted bracket 146, the lower end of blade 10 may be selectivelydepressed below the surface of soil 78 so that blade 10 follows theground breaking engagement of coulter wheel 130 with the soil.

In an alternative embodiment seen in FIG. 14, hydraulic ram 138 isreplaced with leaf spring assembly 147. An upper forward end of leafspring assembly 147 is mounted between hanger brackets 114 by means ofmounting brackets 148. A lower rearward end of main spring 150 isrigidly mounted, for example, by means of bracket 152 to upper drag arm116. Preferably, a secondary leaf spring 154 is pivotally mounted toupper ends of mounting brackets 148 so that tightening in direction K ofthreaded shaft 156 by rotation of handle 158 forces the lower rearwardend of secondary leaf spring 154 downwardly in direction L against theupper surface of mainspring 150. This applies the downward pressure alsoin direction L against the parallelogram linkage of upper drag arm 116and lower drag arm 118 so as to press blade 10 (not shown in FIG. 14)into engagement with the soil. The magnitude of the downward pressureapplied by leaf spring assembly 146 onto blade 10 is adjusted bytightening or loosening threaded shaft 156 against main spring 150.

As blade 10 is dragged in direction B through soil 78 a furrow 80 iscreated as described above. In one embodiment of the present system, aclosure assembly 160 is mounted between fork arms 112 a and 112 b onheader box 112. Closure spring arm 162 is pivotally mounted at its upperforward end between fork arms 112 a and 112 b. The lower rearward end ofclosure spring arm 162 is free to hand down into engagement with theupper surface of furrow 80 formed behind blade 10 as blade 10 passesthrough soil 78. Downwards pressure is applied to closure spring arm 162by means of rocker arm 164 and ratchet arm 166. Rocker arm 164 ispivotally mounted between fork arms 112 a and 112 b by means of pinnedshaft 168. A releasable lock 170 is pivotally mounted to the upper endof rocker arm 164 by means of pin 172. Releasable lock 170 may beloosened, for example by means of a nut and bolt coupling so that lock170 may be selectively slid along ratchet teeth 174 and lock 170resecured once the upper end of rocker arm 164 has been slid to adesired position outwardly along ratchet arm 166. As seen in FIG. 10,the upper end of releasable lock 170 may be a threaded shaft or bolt 176protruding upwardly through a slot 178 which extends substantially thelength of ratchet arm 166. Ratchet arm 166 is pivotally mounted to theupper ends of fork arms 112 a and 112 b by means of pin 113. Inparticular, the base end of ratchet arm 166 is rigidly mounted to a basecoupling bracket 180, and it is base coupling bracket 180 which ispinned by pin 123 between the fork arms.

Selectively positioning the upper end of rocker arm 164 outwardly indirection M along ratchet arm 166 rotates rocker arm 164 downwardlyrelative to header box 112 about pinned shaft 168 so as to apply adownward pressure against the upper surface of closure spring arm 162.This applies a greater downward pressure to the lowermost rearward endof closure spring arm 162 which in turn applies a greater pressure inclosing furrow 80.

As better seen in FIG. 11, each of the two mirror image components 114 aand 114 b making up hanger brackets 114 are in fact each a parallelassembly of two plates. Thus, for example, with respect to component 114a, it is made up of an inner plate 114 a′ and an outer parallel plate114 a″. Similarly, component 114 b is made up of an inner plate 114 b′and a parallel outer plate 114 b″. The inner and outer plates arerigidly spaced apart by means of identical spacer blocks 114 c rigidlymounted between the inner and outer plates. Spacer blocks 114 c providerigid mounting surfaces so that hanger brackets 114 may be rigidlymounted to, for example, bar 182, shown in dotted outline, by u-shapedbrackets 184.

In the preferred embodiment, bar 182 extends laterally across asupporting frame structure so that a laterally spaced apart array ofactuating linkages 110 may be mounted across bar 182. Thus, in thepreferred embodiment, the supporting frame structure supporting bar 182is preferably mounted on wheels so that the entire structure may betowed or mounted to a tractor or the like thereby simultaneously pullinga laterally spaced apart array of blades 10 through soil 78.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of theforegoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible inthe practice of this invention without departing from the spirit orscope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to beconstrued in accordance with the substance defined by the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An in-line sub-surface seeding, fertilizing andwatering device comprising an in-line blade mounted to a header memberof a parallelogram linkage so as to be vertically downwardly disposedgenerally in a plane containing said linkage, said blade having internalconduits for transporting seed, fertilizer or water from an upper infeedto openings at a lower end of said blade, said parallelogram linkagecomprising a pair of parallel rigid drag arms extending between saidheader member and a hanger member, said arms pinned at their respectiveends to said header and hanger members so that rotation of said headermember relative to said hanger member on said parallel arms maintains agenerally horizontal orientation of said header member therebysupporting said blade, when mounted in said header member, downwardly ina constant orientation, wherein said hanger member is mountable to asupporting frame, said device further comprising selective actuationmeans for selective control of a downward force urging said blade, whenon said header member, downwardly into soil.
 2. The device of claim 1wherein said selective actuation means is a hydraulic actuator mountedbetween said hanger member and said drag arms, whereby said blade mayalso be selectively elevated so as to remove said blade from the soil.3. The device of claim 1 wherein said selective actuation means is ahydraulic actuator mounted between said frame and said header member,whereby said blade may also be selectively elevated so as to remove saidblade from the soil.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein said selectiveactuation means is a hydraulic actuator mounted between said hangermember and said header member, whereby said blade may also beselectively elevated so as to remove said blade from the soil.
 5. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein said selective actuation means is a hydraulicactuator mounted between said frame and said drag arms, whereby saidblade man also be selectively elevated so as to remove said blade fromthe soil.
 6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a coulter wheelmounted to a forward end of said header member ahead of a leading edgeof said blade when said blade is mounted to said header member behind anintermediate position along said header member.
 7. The device of claim 1further comprising a furrow closure assembly mounted to a rear end ofsaid header member so as to trail rearwardly therefrom in line with afurrow created by said blade passing through the soil.
 8. The device ofclaim 7 wherein said closing arm is urged downwardly by a selectivelyadjustable downward biasing means mounted to a rear end of the headermember.
 9. The device of claim 8 wherein said downward biasing means isa rocker arm pivotally mounted to said header member and selectivelyadjustable so as to be rotated downwardly into downward biasingengagement against said furrow closing arm.
 10. The device of claim 7wherein said furrow closure assembly is a leaf spring.
 11. An in-line,sub-surface seeding, fertilizing and watering device comprising: anopening blade, said opening blade having first and second sidesextending between a leading edge and an aft edge, said first and secondsides generally symmetrical to each other on either side of a firstplane, said first plane generally bisecting said opening blade, saidleading edge and said aft edge lying generally in said first plane, saidopening blade for generally vertically disposed partial submerging intosoil to a first submerged depth during forward translation advancingsaid leading edge through the soil, said opening blade having an uppersurface and a lower surface extending between upper and lower edgesrespectively of said first and second sides, first and second wingsmounted to said first and second sides respectively in generallyoppositely disposed relation so as to be cantilevered outwardlytherefrom, said first and second wings extending between first andsecond forward wing edges and first and second aft-opening wingapertures in said first and second wings respectively, said first andsecond wings mounted to said first and second sides at, respectively,first and second distances from said lower surface measured generallyparallel to said first plane, said opening blade having therethrough,and generally lying in said first plane, first and second conduits, saidfirst and second conduits extending from, and cooperating with, atuppermost ends thereof, first and second infeed ports in said uppersurface, said first and second conduits cooperating with, at lowermostends thereof, first and second wing ducts extending aft through saidfirst and second wings respectively between said lowermost ends of saidfirst and second conduits and said first and second aft openings wingapertures, said first and second conduits and corresponding said firstand second wing ducts thereby in material flow communication betweensaid first and second infeed ports and corresponding said first andsecond aft opening wing apertures for seed, fertilizer or fluid flow, asfed from a material feeder, therethrough during said forwardtranslation, wherein said first and second distances are less than saidfirst submerged depth so that said first and second wings are submergedin the soil during said forward translation, said device furthercomprising a parallelogram linkage comprising a pair of parallel rigiddrag arms extending between a header member and a hanger member, saidblade mountable into said header member so as to be generally verticallydownwardly disposed, said arms pinned at their respective ends to saidheader and hanger members so that rotation of said header memberrelative to said hanger member on said parallel arms maintains agenerally horizontal orientation of said header member therebysupporting said blade, when mounted in said header member, downwardly ina constant orientation, wherein said hanger member is mountable to asupporting frame, said header member cooperating in fluid communicationwith said material feeder for feeding material to said first and secondinfeed ports on said blade, said device further comprising selectiveactuation means for selective control of a downward force urging saidblade downwardly into soil to said first submerged depth.
 12. The deviceof claim 11 wherein said selective actuation means is a hydraulicactuator mounted between said hanger member and said drag arms, wherebysaid blade may also be selectively elevated so as to remove said bladefrom the soil.
 13. The device of claim 11 wherein said selectiveactuation means is a hydraulic actuator mounted between said frame andsaid header member, whereby said blade may also be selectively elevatedso as to remove said blade from the soil.
 14. The device of claim 11wherein said selective actuation means is a hydraulic actuator mountedbetween said hanger member and said header member, whereby said blademay also be selectively elevated so as to remove said blade from thesoil.
 15. The device of claim 11 wherein said selective actuation meansis a hydraulic actuator mounted between said frame and said drag arms,whereby said blade may also be selectively elevated so as to remove saidblade from the soil.
 16. The device of claim 11 further comprising acoulter wheel mounted to a forward end of said header member ahead of aleading edge of said blade when said blade is mounted to said headermember behind an intermediate position along said header member.
 17. Thedevice of claim 11 further comprising a furrow closure assembly mountedto a rear end of said header so as to trail rearwardly therefrom in linewith a furrow created by said blade passing through the soil.
 18. Thedevice of claim 17 wherein said closure assembly is urged downwardly bya selectively adjustable downward biasing means mounted to a rear end ofthe header member.
 19. The device of claim 18 wherein said downwardbiasing means is a rocker arm pivotally mounted to said header memberand selectively adjustable so as to be rotated downwardly into downwardbiasing engagement against said furrow closure assembly.
 20. The deviceof claim 17 wherein said furrow closure assembly is a leaf spring. 21.The device of claim 1 wherein said header member is a header box formounting therein of a base of said blade.
 22. The device of claim 21wherein said header box includes oppositely disposed side fork membersextending upwardly from said base of said blade when mounted in saidheader box said drag arms including an upper arm pivotally mounted at aforward end to said hanger member, at an opposite rearward end to anupper end of said side folk members.
 23. The device of claim 22 whereinsaid drag arms include a lower arm pivotally mounted at a forward endthereof to said hanger member and at an opposite rearward end thereof toa forward end of said header box.
 24. The device of claim 11 whereinsaid header member is a header box for mounting therein of a base ofsaid blade.